Summer Student - Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research

UHN is Canada's No. 1 hospital and the world's No. 1 publicly funded hospital. With 10 sites and more than 44,000 TeamUHN members. UHN consists of Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, The Michener Institute of Education and West Park Healthcare Centre. As Canada's top research hospital, the scope of biomedical research and complexity of cases at UHN have made it a national and international source for discovery, education and patient care. UHN has the largest hospital-based research program in Canada, with major research in neurosciences, cardiology, transplantation, oncology, surgical innovation, infectious diseases, genomic medicine and rehabilitation medicine. UHN is a research hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto.

UHN's vision is to build A Healthier World and its only because of the talented and dedicated people who work here that we are continually bringing that vision closer to reality.

www.uhn.ca

Summer student position to support the following study: Referral Pathway to the Medly program at UHN

Union: Non-Union
Site: Toronto General Hospital
Department: Cardiology
Reports to: Dr. Sahr Wali
Work Model: Hybrid
Grade: A0:90
Hours: 35
Salary: 17.20 - $20.30 per hour. Start rate non-negotiable. (To commensurate with experience and consistent with UHN compensation policy)
Shifts: Monday to Friday
Status: Temporary Full-time
Closing Date: March 3rd, 2025

Job Details:

Medly is a digital therapeutic (DTx) program at the University Health Network (UHN) that provides people living with heart failure (HF) with the tools to self-manage their chronic condition. Patients enter daily health measures into the Medly app and receive automated self-care feedback messages based on their personalized thresholds. Medly simultaneously enables effective clinical management by providing care teams with real-time data on the patient's clinical status. Research has shown the effectiveness of Medly in reducing hospitalizations while improving clinical status and quality of life of patients.

Using the Ontario Marginalization Index, a analyses of Medly patient records found that the UHN Medly Program engages patients from diverse socioeconomic statuses (SES). However, these SES analyses are based on population-level inferences that do not explicitly capture patient-level characteristics, nor the state of patients who are not engaged in Medly. As such, there is a need to examine the presence of any potential inequities in the Medly referral pathway, specifically among patients who are deemed ineligible, or who decline participation.

The goal of this project is to investigate the current patterns of referral to the Medly program, the potential inequities in patients who are and are not engaged in the program, and the underlying reasons for inequities. Further, updates to the referral pathway will be developed and proposed for implementation based on the findings of this investigation.

Educational Objectives:

Three main educational objectives of this placement are: i. Research and Evidence-based practice, ii. Data analysis and health informatics, and iii. Interprofessional collaboration and leadership.

Research and Evidence-based practice: You will apply advanced research methodologies such as literature review, data extraction and quantitative analysis, interviews and thematic analysis to evaluate the Medly program's referral pathway.

Data analysis and health informatics: This project will require application of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Working with healthcare datasets including patient records and administrative metrics, you will apply statistical concepts and methods to understand relationships and make inferences. Interviews with clinicians should be used to understand contextual factors shaping the referral pathway. You will use qualitative software to transcribe interviews and conduct a thematic analysis. Further, you will present the findings to the team and other relevant stakeholders.

Interprofessional collaboration and leadership: You will work closely with the research team and participate in other team meetings such as research and clinical rounds to gain insight into diverse healthcare roles and responsibilities. You will demonstrate emerging leadership skills by facilitating the team dialogue, managing project goals and research methods, and coordinating cross-functional tasks.

Proposed deliverables at the end of the placement:

In this placement, you will:

1. Provide insights about the current referral process to the Medly program at UHN to the stakeholders of the Medly program

2. Recommend an updated referral pathway to the UHN clinical management team grounded in cultural safety

3. Present the findings at the TRHCR Summer Student Day

4. You may also have the opportunity to present findings at a relevant conference and publish the findings in a peer reviewed journal

We are seeking a self-driven dedicated professional with a strong interest in health equity, and the following qualifications:

• Exposure to clinical/medical/epidemiological research studies

• Experience conducting statistical analyses

• Experience conducting semi-structured interviews and qualitative analyses

• Strong verbal and written communication and organizational skills

• Experience with collaborative interdisciplinary teamwork, ability to work well both independently and in a team environment

• Detail-oriented, excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities

• A passion for informing and leading health care transformation

• Student must be enrolled full time
  
• Student must be legally able to work in Canada full time during the position

It is an asset if you:

• Worked with healthcare datasets

• Understand or have experience with the Research Ethics Boards process

Why join UHN?

In addition to working alongside some of the most talented and inspiring healthcare professionals in the world, UHN offers a wide range of benefits, programs and perks. It is the comprehensiveness of these offerings that makes it a differentiating factor, allowing you to find value where it matters most to you, now and throughout your career at UHN.

• Competitive offer packages
• Government organization and a member of the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP https://hoopp.com/)
• Close access to Transit and UHN shuttle service
• A flexible work environment
• Opportunities for development and promotions within a large organization
• Additional perks (multiple corporate discounts including: travel, restaurants, parking, phone plans, auto insurance discounts, on-site gyms, etc.)

Current UHN employees must have successfully completed their probationary period, have a good employee record along with satisfactory attendance in accordance with UHN's attendance management program, to be eligible for consideration.

Vaccines (COVID and others) are a requirement of the job unless you have an exemption on a medical ground pursuant to the Ontario Human Rights Code.

UHN is a respectful, caring, and inclusive workplace. We are committed to championing accessibility, diversity and equal opportunity. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process. Applicants need to make their requirements known in advance. Any information received related to an accommodation will be addressed confidentially.

University Health Network thanks all applicants, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

All applications must be submitted before the posting close date.

UHN uses email to communicate with selected candidates. Please ensure you check your email regularly.

Please be advised that a Criminal Record Check may be required of the successful candidate. Should it be determined that any information provided by a candidate be misleading, inaccurate or incorrect, UHN reserves the right to discontinue with the consideration of their application.

UHN is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive recruitment process and workplace. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process. Applicants need to make their requirements known.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.